title: Steroid hormones in biosolids and poultry litter: a comparison of potential environmental inputs.
abstract: Steroid hormones can act as potent endocrine disruptors when released into the environment. The main sources of these chemicals are thought to be wastewater treatment plant discharges and waste from animal feeding operations. While these compounds have frequently been found in wastewater effluents, few studies have investigated biosolids or manure, which are routinely land applied, as potential sources. This study assessed the potential environmental contribution of steroid hormones from biosolids and chicken litter. Hormone concentrations in samples of limed biosolids collected at a waste treatment plant over a four year period ranged from <2.5 to 21.7ng/g dry weight for estrone (E1) and <2.5 to 470ng/g dry weight for progesterone. Chicken litter from 12 mid-Atlantic farms had averages of 41.4ng/g dry weight E1, 63.4ng/g dry weight progesterone, and 19.2ng/g dry weight E1-sulfate (E1-S). Other analytes studied were 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), testosterone, E2-3-sulfate (E2-3-S), and E2-17-sulfate (E2-17-3).
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College Park, MD 20742-3021, USA.
authors.forename: Christine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bevacqua
authors.forename: Clifford P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torrents
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis*; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D011200:Poultry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D008372:Manure